


Shout it to the World

by brilliantbanshee



Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Bringing back my OC of Mya as Carlos's partner, Developing Relationship, M/M, Relationship Reveal, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:22:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24852253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brilliantbanshee/pseuds/brilliantbanshee
Summary: Carlos doesn't think anything of it when he lends his partner his phone. He realizes that his mistake about 5 seconds too late. Now his partner knows he has been seeing someone and she is insisting on meeting the mystery man, and he and TK still haven't nailed down what exactly they are and Carlos's life is a disaster.Maybe it's not as bad as it seems (it probably is though).
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand
Comments: 20
Kudos: 282
Collections: 9-1-1 Lone Star ▶ Carlos Reyes / Tyler Kennedy "TK" Strand





	Shout it to the World

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt fill from [lauraperfectinsanity](https://lauraperfectinsanity.tumblr.com/) on tumblr. 
> 
> The prompt was: When his sister asks Carlos to quickly borrow his phone to make a call, he doesn’t think twice about lending it to her. What she finds is a photo of her brother with a hot guy as the home and lock screen.
> 
> I was absolutely certain I couldn't write about Carlos's sisters without accidentally plagiarizing [Bellakitse](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bellakitse/pseuds/Bellakitse) because her Reyes women are so vivid in my mind, so I did it with Carlos's partner instead (Mya, my oc from the Boss's Son series)

Carlos was barely a full step outside the locker room when his partner popped up at his shoulder, nervously tapping her phone against the palm of her hand, “Can I borrow your phone?” she blurted out, “I need to make a call, but mine is dead.” 

He turned to face her, eyebrow raised, “I seem to remember mentioning something about how playing those stupid games will run down your battery just earlier today.”

Mya scowled at him, “I only asked for your phone Reyes, not your snark. Besides, they help me relax and it is hardly your business how I spend my lunch break.” 

“It is when I’m sitting across the table from you eating silently because you’re stuck on level 130 of candy crush, Esquilin.”

Her eyes narrowed at him and he sighed, handing over his phone, “Make it quick please, I have somewhere to be.”

Mya scoffed at him, “Yes, I’ll make sure to rush because I am sure your couch will be very lonely without you.” 

Carlos rolled his eyes as she swiped open his phone to make a call, confidently punching in his passcode. He knew he had never shared that with her, but he didn’t even blink at the fact that she knew it anyways. He leaned against the wall opposite the locker room to wait as she keyed in the last digit and his phone opened. But instead of going right for the phone app, her eyes widened. He frowned at her and was about to ask what the problem was when she turned her gaze up to Carlos. 

“You’ve been keeping something from me, Reyes.” 

He stared back at her in confusion, but any questions he could have asked were halted by her turning his phone towards him so he could see what had caught her attention. His stomach plummeted and he had only one coherent thought:  _ shit _ . 

The screen that was now facing him was his home screen, which proudly featured a photo of Carlos with his arms around a smiling TK, kissing him on the cheek. 

He looked from his phone back to Mya, who had a devious grin spreading across her face. “Does this mean that my partner has been seeing someone - a very attractive someone, I might add - and hadn’t told me yet?”

People were starting to look at them curiously and Carlos cursed and grabbed her arm, pulling her from the busy locker room hallway to a more secluded side hallway. She was still grinning as he released her. “So?” she prompted. 

Carlos closed his eyes and took a measured breath, “yes,” he confirmed, “I’ve been seeing someone.” 

Mya listed off questions rapid-fire: “For how long? What’s his name? Is the sex good? Why haven’t you told me?” 

Carlos blinked and looked at her, waiting expectantly with his phone still clutched in her hand. She would not be dissuaded - his partner was nothing if not stubborn. He sighed and started to answer: “For about 4 months, his name is TK, that is hardly any of your business, and I guess I don’t really know what there is to tell.”

Now she is frowning at him, “What is that supposed to mean?” 

“It means that we’re taking things slow. He...isn’t really ready for a full-blown relationship just yet but I like spending time with him, so we’re keeping things casual.”

Mya raised an eyebrow, “I’m impressed Reyes, I didn’t think you knew how to do casual.” 

“It’s been a learning curve,” he agreed grimly. 

Mya frowned at him for a few more seconds before handing him back the phone, “Call him, tell him you’re bringing a friend tonight.” 

He spluttered, trying to find the words to tell her how many ways that was  _ not  _ happening, but she simply crossed her arms: “Don’t even try, this is happening. As your partner and friend, it is my sworn duty to make sure that this guy is not taking advantage of you.” 

“I can take care of myself you know.” 

“Normally I’d agree, but when it comes to matters of the heart, your judgment can be a little questionable. You’re too nice and don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. I, on the other hand, have no such problem. Hence, I need to meet this mystery man. Make the call Reyes.” 

Carlos knew when to admit defeat. He sighed heavily and made the call, listening to the ringing with dread. Maybe TK wouldn’t answer. Maybe he was on a call. Maybe his phone was dead. Maybe…

“Hey, Carlos, I’m not late, am I? I’m just wrapping up at the station, I’ll be able to head out in a few minutes.” 

“No, you’re not late. I haven’t even left work yet.”

Something in his voice must have tipped TK off because he could hear the background noise on the other end of the call stop as TK stopped moving, “Is everything okay Carlos?” 

“Yeah. Yeah, everything’s fine. I just...would you mind if a friend of mine joined us tonight? For dinner?” 

“By a friend you mean…”

“My partner. She saw that picture I took of the two of us last week and decided she wants to meet you.”

“Oh,” TK sounds surprised, but not upset, “yeah, sure.”

“Are you sure?” 

“Yeah,” TK said confidently, “I mean, you’ve met most of my co-workers, it’s only fair that I meet some of yours.”

Carlos swallowed, “Okay. We’ll see you in about 10 minutes then?”

“Definitely.” TK’s voice is warm and Carlos can feel some of his anxiety melt away, “See you in a bit.” 

Then the line is dead and Carlos is looking back up at Mya. He sighs, and nods. She grins. 

“Great, let’s go. We can’t have Lover Boy waiting.”

He frowns at her, “I thought you had a date?”

Mya waves him off, “it’s not going to work out between us anyway, besides - this sounds like so much more fun. Though, can I actually borrow your phone though? I was going to call her to tell her I’d be late, but now I have to call her to tell her I’m not coming.”

Carlos rolled his eyes and handed his phone over again. His life was a disaster, and it was completely his partner’s fault. 

* * *

8 minutes later, Carlos and Mya were sitting at the bar of the Mexican place where Carlos was supposed to be meeting TK. Mya had raised an eyebrow when Carlos had ordered beers them as well as an additional mineral water, but said nothing. Now they were waiting and Carlos was anxiously tapping out a rhythm on the bar. 

After a full minute, Mya reached out a hand to stop his tapping. “Relax Reyes, I’m not going to bite him.”

Carlos shook his head, “No, I know that. It’s just....we’ve been moving really slow. I’m not sure we’re ready for this, and I really like him, Mya. I don’t want to screw this up.”

“Carlos,” she said earnestly, “relax. If he is anything like you say he is, this is going to be fine. I just want to make sure he’s not trying to take advantage of that too big heart of yours. I know you want to save every puppy in the pound, but not every puppy can be saved. Some will even bring you down with them. I just don’t want to see that happen to you.” 

“It won’t,” he said firmly, “He’s not like that Mya. He’s a good person.” 

She looked into his eyes, then nodded. “Then this will go fine - just a friend meeting another friend. Besides, don’t I deserve to know who my partner is making heart eyes over?” 

He chuckled, but any rebuttal was cut off by a familiar voice at his shoulder, “Hey.” 

He turned to find TK, in all his gorgeous glory, standing awkwardly behind him, hands shoved into his pockets. He looked like he was trying to make himself smaller, and it did not suit him at all. All of Carlos’s nerves disappeared and he stood up to give him a kiss, which he eagerly returned. He slung an arm around his shoulder as he turned TK towards Mya. 

“TK, meet my partner - Mya Esquilin.” 

TK reached out a hand, which Mya took, “It’s very nice to meet you, Officer Esquilin.”

She shook the offered hand, but rolled her eyes, “None of that formal crap, just Mya, please.” As they dropped their hands she squinted at him, “You look familiar. I haven’t arrested you, have I?” 

TK laughed nervously and Carlos sighed, “He’s with the new 126 Mya, you’ve seen him on calls.” 

Her expression cleared, “Oh! Yeah, that’s it. Well then, it is extra nice to meet you, TK of the new 126.” Then she glanced over at Carlos, “A firefighter Reyes, I’m impressed.” 

Carlos rolled his eyes and offered TK the stool he had just been sitting in, taking the one next to it for himself. “I’m sorry for everything she says or does, just to be clear,” he told TK as they sat down. 

Mya scowled at him but TK laughed lightly, “No worries, I think it’s sweet.” 

Both Carlos and Mya gave him puzzled looks and TK continued, “She figured out you were seeing someone and decided that she needed to meet me to make sure I wasn’t an ax murderer, right?”

Carlos chuckled and Mya smiled sheepishly, “Something like that,” she agreed.

“Well, I am not, and I’m glad you’re looking out for him.” he paused as he looked over at Carlos, grabbing his hand and squeezing it with a smile. “I’m glad someone else is when I’m not around.” 

Carlos could feel his heart flutter. He could not believe how wonderful this man was. He wasn’t sure what he had done to deserve to be on the other end of that smile, but he was willing to thank every force in the universe. He smiled back and slid TK his mineral water. 

Mya was watching them. Her expression had softened, and Carlos knew she was convinced. When TK turned to face her - hand still clasped with Carlos’s - she smiled at him. “I’ll believe you on the ax murderer part, though I’d like to point out that firefighting is one of the very few modern professions that actually uses axes, but I have other questions.”

TK squeezed Carlos’s hand as he said to Mya, “ask away.” 

* * *

Two hours and several plates of tacos and nachos later, they had parted ways. At some point of the night, Mya and TK had found significant common ground and had started ganging up on him. Carlos would be lying if he said that he wasn’t slightly regretting letting the two of them meet and he was certain to have very little peace from here on out, but the sound of TK’s laughter made it worth it. He had taken the chance to sit back and watch as the other man interacts with his partner. As he grew more comfortable he laughed openly and loudly, his green eyes sparkling as he turned to glance back at Carlos. His hand stayed intertwined with Carlos’s all night. 

The left the restaurant and headed back to Carlos’s place. The short car ride was filled with companionable silence, but as soon as they entered his living room Carlos asked the question that had been nagging him all night. 

“Are you sure you were okay with that? I know you wanted to keep things casual and private, but she insisted and I couldn’t think of a good excuse to get us out of it and…” 

TK cut him off with a kiss. It was soft and lingering. When the pulled away, TK was looking at him earnestly. “Of course it was okay - I would have said something if it wasn’t. It turned out to be a good time anyway, I like her. Besides, if you think that was bad, you have no idea what it is going to look like when my crew finds out about us. There are four of them.”

Carlos knew that if he followed the script he was supposed to respond with a joke, with another teasing remark. But something TK said had struck him, freezing his brain. 

“When I meet them?” he repeated. 

TK met his gaze with a soft smile, “When,” he confirmed. “I don’t think I can hide how I feel about you much longer. I want to shout it to the world, so I should probably at least tell my team first.” 

There were so many implications to those words, so many things Carlos wanted to say. Instead, he pulled TK towards him, pulling him into a kiss that was deep and longing. He pulled TK towards the bedroom, where he showed him exactly how he felt about that idea, in great detail. 

When TK and Carlos fell apart later that night and Carlos checked his phone before going to sleep, he found a message from Mya waiting. It said:  _ He passes.  _

He smiled fondly as he set down his phone and laid back down, wrapping his arms around the body beside him. TK leaned into his embrace and Carlos placed a kiss on the top of his head before settling into his pillow. He thought about what TK had said earlier, in the living room:  _ I want to shout it to the world.  _

Carlos pulled him closer, kissing the side of his neck. Yeah, he wanted to do that too. All in good time, he supposed. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Come find me on [tumblr](https://brilliantbanshee.tumblr.com/)


End file.
